Île-à-la-Crosse School Survivors reach Agreement in Principle to settle with Saskatchewan

September 29, 2025

The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School Steering Committee announces today that an Agreement in Principle has been reached between the plaintiffs and the Government of Saskatchewan in Gardiner et al v The Attorney General of Canada and The Province of Saskatchewan, the proposed class action on behalf of former students of Île-à-la-Crosse School and their family members. This agreement follows the agreement in principle reached with the Government of Canada earlier this year.

The unjust exclusion of Île-à-la-Crosse students was described by the Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench as one of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement’s “more significant imperfections” in 2006. Resolving this class action lawsuit is an overdue but vital step in the Survivors’ decades-long struggle for acknowledgement of their experiences of cultural and linguistic harms, as well as physical and sexual abuse, at the Île-à-la-Crosse School.

Under the Agreement in Principle, Saskatchewan has agreed to pay $40.2 million to provide restitution to former Île-à-la-Crosse School students and their families, and to promote reconciliation, healing, wellness, education, language, culture and commemoration in the community of Île-à-la-Crosse. Premier Moe has also offered an apology to Survivors and their families.

The Committee wishes to thank the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan for their support and advocacy on behalf of all Île-à-la-Crosse School Survivors, including providing invaluable supports throughout the litigation process.

Quotes:

Elder Margaret Aubichon, plaintiff and Committee member:

It’s a relief to reach this agreement in principle with Saskatchewan. It’s been a very long battle, and we’ve lost a lot of Survivors on the way here. Finally, we’re close to having some closure for the remaining Survivors of Île-à-la-

Crosse School, and recognition and compensation for all the harm that we experienced as children.

Elder Emile Janvier, plaintiff and Committee member:

I was taught at the Île-à-la-Crosse School that my heritage, language and culture were shameful. I’m proud that I’ve worked hard to reclaim my Indigenous identity, and that we’ve made our voices as Survivors heard by these governments. This is an important step in our healing and in the process of reconciliation.

Glen McCallum, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan President:

As a government, MN–S has been establishing strong nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationships. We’re pleased that it’s finally going to help our Survivors. This settlement with Saskatchewan, along with the settlement with Canada, while in principle at this point, will help to bring some much-needed closure to our Survivors, their families, and the community.

Brennan Merasty, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan Justice Minister:

My father was forced to attend the Île-à-la-Crosse School. As someone who has grown up in this community and has lived experience with the intergenerational effects, I can say, unequivocally, this agreement in principle is a positive step in the right direction. I hope it will help Île-à-la-Crosse move forward and leave a meaningful legacy for generations to come.

If both proposed settlements with the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada are approved by the court, it will bring an end to the class action lawsuit after over 20 years of litigation. A class action certification and settlement approval hearing has been scheduled to begin on January 29, 2026, in Saskatoon at the Court of King’s Bench.

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About the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School Steering Committee

The Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School Steering Committee Inc. is composed of 12 board members representing 20 communities in Northwest Saskatchewan. The committee has been actively advocating for Survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse School for over two decades. Founding members of the Committee include Antoinette Lafleur, Emile Janvier, Margaret Aubichon, and Duane Favel.

For more details, contact:

Sotos LLP
Margaret Waddell
Phone: 416-977-2413

Email: mwaddell@sotos.ca
www.sotosclassactions.com

Goldblatt Partners LLP
Tina Q. Yang
Phone: 647-381-8500
Email: tyang@goldblattpartners.com
www.goldblattpartners.com

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